Good Luck in the Year of the Pig - Chapter 27
The whole place could be seen at a glance.
In the quiet little room, Qin Zhuopu started by walking from the bed. Two steps away was the only table and two chairs. He walked around and a few steps to the right there was the kitchen and bathroom next to each other. In fact, they were very close to the bed. There was also a fancy fabric patchwork wardrobe by the other end of the bed and the rest of the stuff was stacked in large and small storage boxes. There was no place for shoes, so they were scattered casually on the side, winter and summer shoes together. Clothes, toys, books, and anything that didn’t fit in the storage boxes were packed in various bags and piled up against the wall.
There was no TV, no fridge, no air conditioner, and the only electrical appliance was probably the lamp overhead.
Qin Zhuopu walked into the kitchen, so small that he wanted to walk sideways. The miraculous thing was that the stove was fully equipped with pots and pans and very clean, except for the simple kitchen hood that was stained and emitted a faint smell of smoke. It was clear from the first sight that it was a kitchen where the fire was often used.
He looked at the unfamiliarity of it all with a blank face and stepped in his cold slippers to the adjacent bathroom. It was smaller than he expected. Above the squat toilet there was the shower nozzle. He couldn’t help but wonder if he would suddenly spray water on his head when he went to the toilet. In the end, he sighed for a long time, reached out and took off the nozzle to try to turn on the hot water. It took a full ten minutes before the somewhat warm water came out. After that, he let it run for another five minutes, and finally the temperature was at least a little more acceptable for a shower. With no time to sigh anymore, Qin Zhuopu took a shower at the speed standard of the military training period in his student days. He put on a t-shirt and baggy pyjama pants he found in the wardrobe, shivered, brushed his teeth and washed his face, and got back into the bed under the quilt.
He stared up at the ceiling.
The ceiling was visibly dusty; there were spider webs in the corners, and some of the wall finishing was peeling, about to fall off.
Closing his eyes fiercely, Qin Zhuopu buried his head in the quilt and breathed deeply… There was no Lu Ying’s smell, but a strong, child’s milky aroma.
……
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Qin Zhuopu poked his head out, his mood complicated and indescribable.
He couldn’t help but look around again. Everything in the apartment was squeezed into such a tiny space. It was not difficult to imagine that if someone snored in the bed, it could be heard by the person going to the toilet. If someone cooked in the kitchen, the person on the bed could hear it. Turn on the water in the bathroom, and people in the kitchen and bed can hear it.
In this small home, Lu Ying and his son lived, the little fat boy called Lu Zaizai. Even though Qin Zhuopu only saw the photos on the information, he was instantly sure in his heart that it was Lu Ying’s biological son. His face was round and fleshy but it didn’t prevent his eyes from looking the same as Lu Ying’s. The father and son had the same eyes, clear and innocent, clean and pure. The bright smile was even more alike. The child also shared Lu Ying’s love of food and was good at eating, ate a lot more than ordinary people, and had an extraordinary athletic talent. There was no way to deny it at all. Two people who were so similar could only be a father and son. Genes and blood, that was how close they were; how close.
When he found out that Lu Ying had become a father, he was in denial, not believing it at all, automatically assuming that it must be an adopted child. Lu Ying had said that he was Grandpa Lu’s adopted child, not Grandpa Lu’s grandson. It was not at all surprising that Lu Ying would adopt a child.
The moment the information was in his hands and he turned the page over to see the photo, something exploded in his head.
Whether it was panic, anger, or pain, he didn’t have time to realise it, and there was only one thought left in his mind.
This was Lu Ying’s biological son.
How did the child happen and who gave birth to him? Or another question. Why did they have to be separated for years, why was it that the person he had obviously missed so much and thought about for years was not with him?
He spent many days thinking about that child, and the result of his deep thoughts was that he still missed Lu Ying and wanted to go to him.
Lu Ying’s child would be his child in the future.
Until now, he hadn’t seen Lu Zaizai with his own eyes. He was always in a hurry to see Lu Ying, but not the child. He knew that he was actually afraid, afraid of being hypocritical. He was also afraid of trying to get along with the child. Children are the most difficult existence to master; what if they met and didn’t like each other at all, what should he do next?
He had to recognise the reality that after a few years apart their relationship couldn’t return to what it once had been, and that Lu Ying had someone he liked more than he liked the stars.
Compared to the tiny dim stars, the child was a big sun. Under the light of the sun, the stars did not exist.
Turning over, Qin Zhuopu switched off the light. He thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but he fell asleep quickly without realising it. Although the room was old and dilapidated, the bed was very comfortable, and the quilt with the scent of milk was very down-to-earth and warm.
Without the harassment of mobile phones and the noise of alarm clocks, he had no dreams all night.
Even when there were fireworks in the neighbourhood at five or six in the morning and some people were visiting their friends to celebrate the New Year, making the first morning of the New Year lively and noisy, none of this affected Qin Zhuopu.
Around ten o’clock in the morning, Lu Ying opened the door. The room was dark and quiet, and the only regular sound of sleeping reminded him that someone was lazy and hadn’t woken up yet.
Lu Ying closed the door gently, his expression a little puzzled.
Qin Zhuopu actually hasn’t woken up yet, what a surprise…
This person had always been self-disciplined and had never been lazy to get up even when he went to bed late. Go to bed at 9 o’clock in the evening and get up at 7 o’clock in the morning, go to bed at 12 o’clock in the evening and get up at 7 o’clock in the morning, or even 6 o’clock. Sometimes it’s even 5 o’clock if he needs to catch a plane. Lu Ying was different. He slept until he woke up naturally when he wasn’t working. Eleven o’clock was early and it wasn’t surprising if he slept all day. At that time, when he was living with Qin Zhuopu, the two of them made peace by deciding that Qin Zhuopu could get up early, but he was not allowed to tell Lu Ying to get up early. Lu Ying could sleep in, but he had to be up at eight o’clock for breakfast, and if he was still sleepy, he would go back to bed. Lunch and dinner also couldn’t be missed.
“……” Staring at the sleeping Qin Zhuopu, Lu Ying subconsciously took out his mobile phone, took a picture, and checked the effect of the photo. The dark outline brought no sense of accomplishment. Delete it!
Qin Zhuopu didn’t seem to show any signs of awakening at all, and Lu Ying sat down in a chair, doing nothing. Someone who slept so soundly must have been very tired. How could it be comfortable to take a plane for more than ten hours, and then go to the mountains to roll around in the mud and freeze in the cold wind in the middle of the night?
The message flickered in the “Gang of Scoundrels” group, and Lu Ying lowered his head to click on it.
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Brother Ji: Going to the movies. Picture 1, Picture 2…
Liu Dichuan: There are so many people, fortunately I bought the tickets in advance.
Brother Yang: When are you coming over, Lu Ying? The show starts in twenty minutes.
Brother Ji: Come on, Lu Ying, Zaizai is waiting for you.
There was another flurry of pictures in the group. Lu Ying saw Zaizai and Qin Xiaotu eating popcorn together. The two juniors had an age difference but they were playing together well.
Lu Ying: Okay, I’ll be right there.
Glancing at the bed, Lu Ying quickly replied to the group. Staying here to watch people sleep was a waste of time. He left a charger, data cable and a bowl of dumplings, turned around and went out quietly.
Lu Ying rushed to the movies theatre and fortunately wasn’t late. Lu Zaizai pounced over cheerfully, “Dad, where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for ages.”
“Dad went home for something.”
“Ah, Dad, why didn’t you tell me you were coming home, I wanted to get my toys!”
“Next time, the movie’s about to start, get in line.”
It was a 100-minute movie, a pure family fun for the New Year, and it was already noon when they finished watching it. The group discussed where to go to eat when Lu Ying’s phone rang. When he saw the call, he simply answered it: “You’re finally awake?”
Qin Zhuopu’s hoarse voice came from the other end: “Yes, I didn’t expect to sleep for so long. What time did you come here?” He was still a little groggy when he woke up and subconsciously looked for his phone. He saw the charger placed next to it, the standard data cable and a bowl of dumplings. He didn’t know that Lu Ying had come back. Everything he brought was very thoughtful. A burst of joy suddenly flooded Qin Zhuopu’s gloomy mind, and his spirit soared.
“At ten o’clock.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“Why should I wake you up? I even took a picture of you sleeping late.”
Unseen by Lu Ying, Qin Zhuopu smiled: “Delete it if it doesn’t look good.”
“You have no say about it.”
“Then… where are you now?” Qin Zhuopu heard it was very lively over there.
“Just finished watching the movie and now I’m going to eat. Your phone is charged now, um… you can buy your own ticket back. Bye.” Lu Ying hung up the phone quickly and headed to the restaurant with everyone.
Qin Zhuopu didn’t call again.
Qin Zhuopu was still in a good mood. He took the cold dumplings to the kitchen, turned on the fire fairly smoothly, warmed up the dumplings, poured a plate of balsamic vinegar, and sat alone to enjoy them slowly. The bowl was large, with a full thirty dumplings, slightly thick skinned and stuffed with fresh meat and shepherd’s purse, so fragrant and tender that Qin Zhuopu’s whole body warmed up as he ate. As soon as the dumplings entered his mouth, he knew that they were handmade, most likely made by Lu Ying. He felt surprised and a little sour. What else did Lu Ying know how to do that he hadn’t known before?
Suddenly, the chopsticks in Qin Zhuopu’s hand paused and he looked at the dumpling in front of him.
This dumpling was very special, like a fish in troubled waters showing its head in a group of beautiful dumplings. Qin Zuopu carefully identified the dumpling. It was a pig’s head… right?
The vaguely round pig’s head, with a crooked mouth, seemed to be grinning.
The corners of Qin Zhuopu’s mouth rose and he dipped the dumpling into the vinegar and ate it.
On the first day of the Year of the Pig, how could one not be in a good mood when eating a pig head dumpling?
That child, he suddenly wanted to meet him. As an elder, at least he should hand him the red envelope and give him a blessing for the New Year.
“Dad, open the door~ I want to go in and get my toys~~”
Outside the door, suddenly came the child’s tender voice, and Qin Zhuopu subconsciously looked towards the door.
The sound of the key being inserted into a hole, the sound of the key being turned. Qin Zhuopu stood up awkwardly.
The doorway opened and a dazzling light instantly shone in.
